16 Crazy Years
by PatatoLife
Summary: Marco spent 16 long years of his life tracking her down, but what was he doing all that time? What did he have to do to survive a multiverse as weird and wild as this one? How crazy could a multi-dimensional test over a pair of scissors get anyways? Very crazy. Promise. (HIATUS PROBABLY PERMANENT: SORRY)
1. chapter 1

**_Authors Note: Hey, long time reader first time author here. This will be a story about what I imagine Marco was doing while searching for Hekapoo those 16 long years. This will be a Markapoo story with lemons and violence, so there is your warning, read if you like and if you don't then you probably should'nt._**

 **Chapter 1: The Journey** **Begins**

"I don't care whose name is on the scissors, I borrowed them from Star and I'm going to return them", Marco says with conviction in his voice.

"Oh Yea?", Hekapoo teases, "And how do you propose you'll get them back, huh?"

"Well I'll just earn them back..", Marco begins seriously before Hekapoo cuts him off by falling to the ground while laughing hysterically.

"That's rich", she says with a laugh, then stands and regains her composure. "Okay this should be amusing", she says with a sly smirk, "All you gotta do is blow out this flame. Simple right?" Hekapoo shrinks the burning flame on her head down to the size of a bright candle's flame.

'Easy peezy', Marco thinks as he tries to blow out the flame, only to be one upped by a speeding Hekapoo who runs the whole plane round twice, leaving him with a burning pain in the back of the head where she has smacked him. He turns around and sprints in the direction she will be coming from, only for her to cut a portal right in front of him before he gets close enough.

"Whoaaa!", Marco let's out a shout as he tumbles to the portal and off the side of what looks to be a steep cliff. With a smug grin, Hekapoo steps through the portal and looks off the cliff to inspect her handiwork, only to realize too late that she had been fooled! For there he was, hanging onto the roots growing out of the cliff, waiting for her to check on his fall, only for him to blow the flickering flame from above her head.

Hekapoo dissipates, and Marco realized he had been tricked. He looks down a ways and notices hundreds of Hekapoos, all teasing him about missing the mark.

One Hekapoo opens several portals, and enters into one of them, with her clones scattering into the various dimensions.

"It could take days, months, years, or even lifetimes to find me Fleshwad" Hekapoo's voices echo out teasingly. A final portal opens near the center of the circle where Marco is standing. "Go back to your stinky dirt rock, little boy", she says with an impish laugh, then silence fills the dimension once more.

Marco sighs, exasperated, then examines the various portals surrounding him. "I don't care how long it takes!", he says as he gets his spirits up once more, "I'm getting those scissors back."

'I think I'll go through this one first', Marco thinks to himself as he steps through a strange purple portal with a light mauve swirl in its center.

He finds himself surrounded by dense woodlands as far as the eye can see, if one could even call these a woods. The plants look all too familiar to something one would know on earth, but slightly distorted from what they should be. Trees with bark like birch, but orange with brown markings as opposed to white with black are dispersed amongst tall pine trees: whose branches are long and spindley, and end in large black leaves as opposed to the needles that should be present.

Ridiculously dense foliage sprouts from the dark, rust-red earth, though one can only wonder how it grows with such little gaps of light peeking through; not to mention the fact that the ground itself takes on only a semi-solid consistency. It squelches and gives underfoot, making the hike through the strange forest more like trudging through marshland. It would be hours before Marco finds that the journey was taking a lot more out of him than he initially noticed.

Spurred onward by the rapidly decreasing amount of daylight, coupled with the sounds of who knows what kinds of animals, Marco decides he needs to find somewhere safe to sleep before passing out from exhaustion. Using the remaining strength he has left, he climbs as far into a nearby tree as he can. "My legs are killing me. I haven't been in this much pain since that time I sparred with Jeremy when he was still using brass knuckles", he quietly laments to himself.

He takes off his hoodie and uses the sleeves to tie himself securely to the tree. His body riddled with exhaustion from wandering for hours without any apperently safe forms of food or water, Marco hopes that this little trick he's seen multiple times in pop culture can actually keep him from falling to the ground, though he doesn't dwell on it for long before succumbing to the stress of the day, and falling into a less than ideal sleep.

 ** _Hopefully you all don't mind that I reestablished the scenes leading up to the journey from the show: I just figured having the context fresh in mind would do good service to the fic. Either way, hope you all enjoyed the setup. The next chapter will be alot more original and juicier than this one, so stay tuned! XP_**


	2. chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The First Steps Are The Hardest**

Marco wakes as light starts to poke through the gaps in the leaves, cursing his stiff back and sore muscles. He unties his hoodie and slips it back over his head. Deciding it'd do him good to get a lay of the land, Marco climbs as high into the tree as it will hold him. Luckily it is a quite tall tree, so he can see over top the canopy for miles.

The forest is quite large from what he can gather, so large in fact that in most directions an end cannot be seen; however, that doesn't mean he can't find some semblance of flat land. Far to the south he spots a meadow and decides that he should be heading that way since it's the only open area he's spotted thus far.

Marco sets off on his journey south, trudging along through the mucky soil. He is ripped up, poked and prodded by the brambles and thorny foliage that has sprouted in unnatural ammounts along the forest floor. Most of his daylight hours are burned up by painful travel, and as he climbs a tree to camp for the night he notices the clearing still looks quite far away.

"Just my luck", he grumbles to himself with irritation.

 **Two** **days later**

Exhausted and slightly delirious Marco finally makes his way out of the forest: he starts sprinting with relief as he sees the trees becoming less dense as he makes his way onwards. As he passes through the opening his foot slams against hard earth, tripping him and sending him tumbling into the clearing. With a groan he stands up and dusts himself off, confused as to what exactly happened, then he notices that he is standing on solid ground.

'That's odd', he thinks, 'why would this section of land be so firm with no gradient between the two?'

Marco walks back towards the forest and right as his leg steps into the area shadowed by the strange trees, it sinks into the ground like before. He pulls his leg out of the muck and turns back around, deciding that there probably isn't a good answer to be found for the strange behaviour of this world. As he takes his surrounding in, Marco notices a creek that cuts through the clearing about twenty yards away from him.

Dashing madly once more, he blazes his way to the stream. He trips over his own hysterical running and splashes face first into the cool water. He strips from his worn clothing and begins to bathe himself in the cool water, finding spots where the creek flows quickly and drinking from them directly with his mouth. Marco knows that he should really boil the water first, but he knows it's at least safer to drink this way than with his hands in the parts that are stilled water.

After relaxing in the crystal blue brook a while longer while he let his clothes dry, he climbs out, his prayers having been answered, and slips back into his clothes: they get a little soggy when he puts them back on, but Marco doesn't mind, well at least not in regards to most of his clothes. He didn't actually put his socks back on for another half hour or so, as he wanted to be extra certain that his feet weren't still wet.

Laying down in the grass he soaks up the warm sun rays as his eyelids begin to feel heavier and heavier. Marco drifts off to sleep in this pleasant medow, surrounded by tall soft grasses and beutiful alien flowers. After about an hour of sleep a loud gurgling wakes him, and he hops to his feet defensively, ready to run if any beast has happened to find him a defensless target.

He carefully observes all around him: looking for shifts in the grass and listening for any more strange noises. His mind is thick with panic, scared and alone on an unfamiliar world, he wonders what Star would do right now.

After a few more minutes of uneasy silence, the noise picks up again, only louder this time. Marco falls to the ground with a grin on his face, laughing in relief that the growling noise was only his stomach angrily demanding food from him. His thoughts return to how Star would handle this situation, then to her in general.

A tear slides down his face, and his breathing gets a little haggard. It's only been a few days and he's already feeling discouraged. He wonders what kind of friend he really is, to go and lose her scissors and only after a few hard days feel ready to turn back. A few more guilty tears fall from his eyes before he is startled into a defensive stance by a rustle in the grass nearby.

Hekapoo had been watching him this whole time: hidden amongst the trees and now within the grass. She may be a smug tease but she is no heartless monster, so she reveals herself and asks Marco what's wrong.

"I miss Star", he admits aloud, "It's been days and I'm sure she's worried. I've been wandering those woods so focused on survival that she completely slipped my mind. Now that I've had a moment to rest, I realize that if I fail I may never see her again, and I couldn't live with the look she'd have on her face if I came back without her scissors", he continues, "I'm in a lose-lose situation and it's only been three days. I have to do better, for myself and for Star, but I don't know if I can."

Marco finishes his speech and a few more tears slip from his demoralized eyes. It's all too much for Hekapoo to take in: she's seen alot but this kind of devotion to another person, to make him feel so guilty and sad, she'd almost say it made her feel a bit envious of Star. The feeling was fleeting; however, since she couldn't stand the sight of the motivated little boy she teased not so long ago being reduced to tears before her.

After a few seconds debating with herself the best course of action: Hekapoo steps forward and holds Marco. She strokes his hair softly for a while and once she's sure he's comfortable she puts her sly smile on again and says, "No one said earning scissors would be easy, fleshwad. In fact, it would kind of defeat the point if just anyone could get them, but I can see in your eyes that you won't leave without them, so I'll make you a deal. Blow out my flame: I'll let you off easy on your first clone, but you've gotta do the rest yourself. I mean, I can't make it too easy on ya, but don't never say Hekapoo never did nothin nice for ya", she says by sticking her tongue out teasingly.

Marco, who had up to this point been reveling in the comfort she provided him, looks up from the ground to her eyes. This didn't feel right to him, certainly she was just teasing him again...wasn't she? Then he realized that behind her slippery grin was a very sincere attempt to cheer him up, causing him to smile and wrap his arms around her returning the hug. He smiled as they broke the hug and blew out her flame.

Hekapoo dissipated into a puff of smoke and with new found resolve Marco dusted himself off and got up. If he was going to complete his journey, he was going to have to find all of the Hekapoo clones he could, but before that he needed to find food. After scavenging the field for a while he found a few handfuls of seeds and berries. He washed them in the river and with as much discipline as possible kept himself from scarfing them all down. Tonight he would only eat a couple of one kind of plant and see if he got sick, that way he'd know which ones to avoid next the next time.

 **Two** **months** **later**

Marco was awfully skinny after surviving mostly off seeds, nuts and berries for a few months, but that was alright because he thinks today will finally be the day he has his first taste of meat in what feels like forever. He walks quietly through the field by the forest, using the tall grass to muffle his movement and keep him hidden. He has been following tracks of what looks like several rabbits for the past few days, trying to find where their burrow is. He twiddles the flint like stone, that he knapped into a point the other day, in his fingers nervously. He's never done anything like this before. It was all so strange and new, yet here he was, at the burrow of his prey, reaching into the hole and grabbing out the little creature before it could scurry deeper inside.

He has the strange rabbit by its four floppy ears, staring at it as it writhes and screeches in fear, in his hand. For a split second that feels like an age, Marco isn't sure he can do it. He is no killer, he's not even really a violent person aside from his love of the martial arts and a good monster fight, but this was different. This was a life or death situation, and he isn't sure he has the snuff for it.

Then his stomach growls loudly, and something primal overtakes him: Marco sloppily stabs at the six legged rabbit, whose squirming makes him miss the head and slice into it's side. The creature writhes in agony and in a panic, and sadness, Marco stabs it again and again until it stops squirming. His heart hardens as he takes his first life. He's not proud of it, but he returns to the shelter he's built by the creek and starts a fire with the spare wood and kindling he has left: he will need to scavenge some more soon.

He skins and prepares the rabbit poorly, but to the best of his ability, as the fire gets to a decent cooking temperature. After finishing his rotisserie dinner, Marco lays down in his shelter for the night, tired and changed as a person.

"Next I'll be coming for you Hekapoo", he says into the night.

"I'm counting on it", Hekapoo whispers to herself with a playful grin before leaping away from the tree she was spying in, deeper into the forest.

 ** _Whelp, that was chapter two. Hopefully it all comes across as genuine: I'm trying to make Marco's survival not feel too convinient or easy, while still keeping his character in tact. Hekapoo is a bit easier in some ways since her character isn't as fleshed out and complex as Marco, but isn't a mystery either. In fact, as far as minor side characters go, I'd say Hekapoo has a really strong base characterization from which to keep her main identity in tact and build off of. Either way though, review with your criticisms please: positive, negative, constructive or destructive, anything goes and I want to know. See you next chapter! XP_**


	3. chapter 3

**_SolidReaperjj: Wow this was really something else man! I Was worried you were going to have short chapters but this one is filled with so much detail._**

 ** _I was really pulled in when he was talking about Star and how you could really feel Hekapoo really feeling bad for him for a moment._**

 ** _Really great job and can't wait to see more!_**

 ** _Thank you very much for your kind word_** ** _s,_** ** _I'm glad it came across so well! The chapter size will vary from chapter to chapter, sorry if it bothers you that this chapter is shorter than the previous one, I think._**

 ** _The Book of Eli: Oh I like this already and we're already getting a progression into Marco's mind can't wait for more..._**

 ** _I'm really glad you liked it! Hopefully you'll like this chapter too._** ** _On to the chapter! XP_**

 **Chapter 3:** **Made For This**

 **Two** **years later**

An orange blur rushes through the forest and skids to a stop hiding behind a tree. Hekapoo listens carefully to the rustling in the treetops, her eyes darting up to the ones with particularly loud leaves. 'It doesn't help much that he picked a fairly windy day to continue the game, but that's just the nature of a good opponent', she supposed.

She takes off sprinting again once she's certain she's not running into and ambush, and her hunch is proven correct when she looks back to see that he is in fact behind her. 'Marco the wild man', she thinks with a smirk, 'he really pulls it off well.'

Marco was gracefully jumping from tree to tree, swinging along vines and moving with a much more primal stride. He grabs a vine and yanks it from the tree, tying a quick lasso from it and using it to snag his prey. Climbing down from the treetops with lightning speed, he uses his lean muscles to yank Hekapoo close to him, and hogties her so she can't escape.

"Well. Well. Well. What have we here?", Marco asks with a well earned sense of smug confidence. Hekapoo half-heartedly struggles for a bit in her binds before giving up, smirking up at her rival and saying, "Whelp, you got me right where you want me little boy. Oh no, what will I do now that I'm in such a compromising position?", she asks in a sultry teasing voice.

"Uh-huh-hum, Yea well I think Imma just blow out your flame now", Marco says as a blush creeps along his face, "By the way, how many of you are there left in the dimension, and how many have I extinguished?"

"I'm the last one here doofus, and not including me you've blown out 68 clones", she says with a smirk and a laugh as Marco's blush grows from the number of clones she put in this dimension specifically to tease him. She burns off her bonds and stands to face her captor. He looks at her with an astonished face, having completely forgotten in the heat of the moment her mastery of fire. "What's with that look? You didn't think I'd just let you tie me up _yet_ did you?", she asks then sticks her tongue out, making the hormonal young man blush yet again with her inclusion of one key word in that sentence.

'There is no way she's oblivious to what she's saying to me', Marco thinks as he slyly tries to look at the curvy frame of his thick rival, 'but she always has such a playful look on her face, so I really can't tell with her'. Oh Hekapoo knew exactly what she was doing to him, it was actually Marco who didn't know what he was doing to her. He had outgrown all his clothes: his pants had become long shorts, the hoodie now acted as a cloak, and his shirt(or what shreds of it still remained on his body) merely became an accessory to accentuate the lean muscles his maturing body had begun to form.

"Alright big boy, time to stop ogling and blow me out", Hekapoo joshes. Marco walks up to her and tilts his head down, "Make a wish", she says as she throws up a peace sign before being snuffed out like many clones before her.

Marco is alone in the woods once more, and drops to the ground to sit in the silence. In some ways he never thinks he'll be quite so comfortable with the silence, but in others it has become a comforting feeling. It reminds him of a time before monsters and portals: before when life was simple and he was called "the safe kid". He'd never trade this new life for the old, not in a million years, but there is something to be said for the human mind's amazing ability to take comfort in nostalgia.

After his brief respite, Marco is on the move again. He runs and jumps through the trees like he is a gifted runner on an endless track: enjoying the breeze blowing through his overgrown hair. He makes his way back to the portal he entered this dimension from. Back to where the crazy fight for survival, and his goal of tracking down Hekapoo began.

After entering the dimension it all started in, Marco begins to inspect the portals surrounding him for where he wishes to go next. He pauses his gaze on the Earth portal for a moment. He stares longingly into that portal, tempted by a feeling deep inside him to go back. The homesick feeling that everyone gets from time to time: the feeling that makes even the most steadfast want to return to their own warm bed, and to a place where they can surround themselves with loved ones.

"I can't", he tells himself, and that was all he needed. Of course within his mind the reasoning for and against battled it out while he stared at the portal, but in the end he knew that he had come this far, and he couldn't go back without finishing what he started so long ago.

'Huh', Marco wondered as he stepped through a black, jagged shaped portal, 'just how long ago did this madness begin?'

 **Earth timeline**

Star lays on her bed, leveling a careful aim with her wand at a floating tennis ball. _ZAP!_ She shoots at it but fries a hole through part of the bed's canopy...again. Not easily discouraged, Star continues to fire little shots of magic at the ball, determined to win the game she was playing with herself.

 **Marco's journey timeline - One week later**

Marco grits his teeth in pain as the whip lashes across his back for the twenty third and final time. His rigid body goes limp after the vigorous punishment, but he doesn't fall to the ground due to the chains on his wrists having been attached above his head to a large post in the ground. Looking back behind him somewhat, through bleary eyes he sees a Hekapoo clone handing off the whip to an officer, and giving him orders for how to proceed, but Marco can't understand those orders as his pain addled mind switches off and he falls unconscious.

A stoned face Hekapoo walks away after giving her orders, heatedly arguing with herself internally over what just happened. 'Did I do the right thing? Am I a bad person? Will he hate me for this?', are all questions that flood her mind before she reasserts her self control. 'QUIET! You did what you were meant to do, so get a hold of yourself. You've tested many before him, and you will test many many more after him, so stop second guessing yourself. Suck it up and move on with your day: You know this is what you must do regardless. You were made for this.'

 ** _Wheeeeelllpppp... as always leave your criticsms in your reviews, and that is all there is to say after that.. ;-;_**


	4. chapter 4

**_Beasty12321: Kinda like what solidjj said, it's interesting to see a story about what happened the 16 years, but I also can't wait for more. Very good so far._**

 ** _I figured it was an interesting story to tell since the show left it so vague, so here we are. Thank you for your kind words!_**

 ** _XP_** ** _SolidReaperjj: Very nice and the length of each chapter is on you, with my last story I'm keeping with 1K or more chapters._**

 ** _Your an amazing sorry teller and have a way of making me feel like this is all part of the show._**

 ** _Bravo and can't wait for more!_**

 ** _You flatter me, really you do. Thank you for your praise!_**

 ** _The Book of Eli: The tease part of their relationship begins as well as Hekapoo showing the first small cracks in herself over Marco. Things will get interesting for sure..._**

 ** _Well I'm not quite satisfied with this chapter tbh, but hopefully it'll keep you interested enough to keep reading!_**

 ** _XD_**

 **Chapter 4: Welcome To Hell**

Marco awakens to the hot, slick feeling of blood trailing down his back, and the feeling of his bare feet being dragged against the hot ground below them. He looks to his left and right to see two guards dragging him back to the slave quarters, and his stirring gets their attention. "Can you walk, son?", the guard on his left asks him in an old man's British accent: the guard on the right remains silent with his gaze fixed straight ahead, as he carries on with his duty.

Marco nods to the guard and tries to take his arms off their shoulders, but immediately falls face first into the coarse black gravel on the ground. The hot rocks sting his skin and one cuts open his cheek, but he has to get up and keep going. He tries pushing himself off the ground to no avail. He at least manages to get to his knees before allowing the guards to help him walk.

Marco uses this time, while limping back to the cramped quarters, to take it all in. Looking to his left he sees the guard who spoke to him earlier: his armor is black and Gothic with batwing motifs embossed on the chest, and he has a face like a bat with a humanoid body, but with two long flesh like tendrils protruding from either side of his snout, that make it appear as though he has a long thin moustache. There are slits cut into the back of his armor from which his wings protrude out of, but he has them folded down along his back to take up less room. Marco takes note not of his rather frightening appearance, but of how he spoke to him as if he had a shred of empathy to spare for the lowly human.

The guard to Marco's right hadn't said anything, and by the hardened look of discomfort on his face from having to help a lesser being instead of crushing one, it was clear he wouldn't say a word until Marco was long out of his sight. This made him not particularly different to how most guards treated the slaves here, but what did make him different was his size. He was massive: he had to be at least eight and a half feet tall, and four hundred pounds of pure muscle. His face was crooked and busted, reminding Marco of Gemini, Mrs. Henious' assistant from Saint O's reform school.

As he limps on legs with long gashes cutting through them from where Hekapoo's whip hit low, he looks now at his surroundings. Marco is in what looks to be like a large cave made of blood red, and black stone. Small droplets of lava leak down from certain areas of the ceiling, causing the formation and continued building upon of flaming stalagmites. He was in a dark and dangerous place with little hopes of ever leaving it: the underworld.

Turning his head forward, Marco focuses now on where he is being taken to: the slave quarters were a collection of a few worn down shacks that were to be shared by the many gladiators held captive here. Outside there are a few demons and beings from other places afraid and shellshocked by what had just happened: some are training to keep their minds off it, others are trying to cope with the sight of a beaten and bloodied Marco, and some of the more desperate others are too busy with trying to kill each other over extra scraps of food. 'How the hell did I end up in this horrid situation?', a pain ridden Marco questions himself.

 **One** **week ago**

Marco stepped through the portal and took in the new world around him, only to realize he'd been here before, sort of anyways. 'It's the Underworld!', he thought to himself excitedly, 'With any luck I could get Tom to help me out on this one... but where am I exactly? I've only ever really hung out with Tom at his place, and none of this really rings a bell. Doesn't help that most of this place looks so samey.'

Marco saw a beaten up town in the distance and decided he should stop there first and ask for directions to Lucitor castle. After a few hours hike, he reached the little town, but no one was moving about, in fact the place looked largely run down. The houses and shops seemed to be in disrepair, to the point that it was hard to imagine anyone would ever live there. Lost in thought about the shoddy town around him, Marco only barely heard the scurrying of someone to get into a house behind him. He noticed eyes peeking through the boarded up windows of some of the houses, and decided he should go knock on the house he just heard someone go into.

He knocked then says, "Hey what's got everyone so spooked around here? See a ghost or something?" Marco was seriously getting a creep vibe from the place and decided maybe it wasn't the best idea to stop here, so he turned tail and decided to hoof it outta there. As he was running out of town, he got jumped by some demons who were lurking in the alleyways between the houses.

A large reptiallian foe threw a punch at Marco, which he deflected with a subtle dodge to the side and a push to his flying fist. He followed it up by kicking the large creature in the head, sending him flying into a nearby building. 'Oh shit that was rude', he thought and then shouts out, "Hey sorry to anybody who might be hiding in there! Didn't mean to kick that guy through your hou..owwww. Aggghh!", Marco cried out in pain as he was overwhelmed by the monsters while he was distracted. They beat and kicked him while he was down, knocking him nearly unconscious.

The band of demons tied up their subdued hostage, and a few of the town locals came out to see who they'd caught this time. Marco noticed one of the older people of the town discussing with one of his captors, and in confusion he called out, "Heyy! What are you doing!? Help me, somebody please!", but nobody answered his cries. Some shooed and ushered their children back inside their homes, while most just averted their eyes. None were proud of what had happened there that day, and none wanted to hear his cries and do nothing, but the people of this town had no choice. The thugs had long taken it over and made it a frequent stop for raiding and trafficking slaves. They'd made the town unlivable without them, cutting off any means it had of self sufficiency: now they had to let the gang of slavers raid as much as they'd like, whenever they'd like, just to get food and basic supplies.

"PLEASE! HELPPP!", Marco cried out again, before being elbowed hard which caused his head to snap sideways. Everything went black, and the world faded away.

 **Three** **days later**

After an arduous journey through the underworld, with a squirming Marco in tow, the slavers arrived at the Great Pit's slave quarters with their newest group of prisoners. As he approached the shacks where he would be held captive, Marco couldn't take his eyes off the Great Pit: a large structure in the distance that looked as if the Roman coliseum had been built out of the ruins of several Transylvanian castles. He stared in awe before one of his captors decided that the look on his face was far too bothersome and sucker punched him.

Marco fell to his knees and glared up at the vile creature who'd hit him. The beastman kicked him right in the face for it, and Marco got the message. 'Don't let it get to you Marco. You don't look at them; you don't bother them; they beat you less, and you already know this so get with the program!', he chides himself internally. He looked around at the slaves who were living out their normal routine here, paying no mind to the new arrivals and thought, 'They don't even notice it anymore do they? Looks like I might be here awhile, so I'd better be careful and play it safe, and try not to get myself killed when I've come so far.'

"Alright you weak and spineless worms", the captain of the raiding team called out to the newcomers, "strip off all your clothing for the world to see! You get no privacy here, not even the dignity of hiding your shameful and pathetic bodies!", he laughed cruelly as he finished his sentence. Marco stripped bare, no questions asked, to try and avoid getting himself in anymore trouble. He had to survive this nightmare. He still had something to prove, and he wouldn't let this distraction stop him.

 **Two** **days later**

'Whelp, so much for playing it safe', Marco thought to himself as the other slaves rallied around him. He looked like a madman, with overgrown hair, tangled and unkempt faicial hair tried to cover his still maturing face, and all that covered his body was his red hoodie that he converted to a loin cloth. The fighters were all shouting and charging at their captors, making a heartfelt attempt to rebel against the guards. Something about his freedoms being taken away never sat right with Marco, and here that same fact was to haunt him again as he lead his second ever revolution, straight to the guards. They swarmed and overwhelmed their captors.

A full scale brawl broke out in the crowd. The sound of meat smacking meat could be heard for miles. The slaves overwhelmed their masters two to one, and used their greater numbers to their advantage. Some held guards for others to pummel: others bit and clawed at the surrounded slavers. A loud crunch could be heard as one particularly large gladiator broke the arm of his least favorite guard.

Out of nowhere a circle of impenetrable flame shot forth from the ground and surround the mob, causing most to stop their fighting. In a panic some tried to run or jump through the fire, but were incinerated upon making contact with it. The smells of burning flesh and screams of the terrified fill the scene. Marco's eyes flicked all around him quickly, looking for some way out of this absolute mess.

The circle closed inward, and as the crowd got packed tighter and tighter, Marco was certain this was going to be the end. Most of the entrapped mob were certain it was the end as well, some even began to cry and pray. Just as he had begun to resign his hope, Marco couldn't but wonder what had caused such a strange thing to happen in the first place. This couldn't have been natural could it? Well they were in the underworld, so maybe it was... but then all his questions were answered when a flash of light blinded everyone in the crowd.

As his vision returned to him, Marco was stunned by what he saw. "Hekapoo!", he shouted out in confusion as the circle was replaced with hundreds of Hekapoo surrounding the crowd. They very orderly broke apart the group into sections and began to get the whole area cleared up in mere moments.

Now only Marco was in the center of the circle of what looked like hundreds of furious Hekapoo. He had never seen her with such a look on her face, and he honestly felt a bit intimidated by it, then he realized he is without his modesty. He covered his sensitive bits as a Hekapoo clone stepped forward from the circle and to approached him. "H-poo, what are you doing here!?", he exclaimed his question to his rival, confused and humiliated.

Hekapoo was absolutely livid. She hadn't anticipated that his time here would go this south this fast, and that irritated her to no end. Once she had reached him she put on a forced smile to disarm his guard then said, "Don't call me that!", then she smacked him in the back of the head hard, sending him tumbling down into the coarse gravel underfoot. Her rage kept her from feeling too bad about that, but even she cringed a bit inside when she saw his naked body hit the hot, sharp rocks on the ground.

While all this transpired the Hekapoo clones had gotten the slave situation sorted out. It wasn't hard to break them at this point after the fear and panic she'd first instilled with her entrance, all she had to do now was demoralize the followers further by making an example of the agitator and she could be sure this wouldn't be an inconvenience she'd have to experience twice. The clone that had just smacked Marco into the terrain now had her foot on his throat. She looked down upon his humiliated form and realized that what would come next would be much harsher than anything she had ever done: not only was she currently looking at one of the most genuine beings she'd ever met while he was at her mercy, scared into an aroused state: she also wrestled with herself mentally over the ramifications of what she would have to do to him.

"Chain him up for punishment" she stated coldly to the nearby guards. They closed in on fearful Marco, who was too confused and humiliated to fight back. The guards lifted him to his feet and drug him around back the quarters to receive his punishment, but before he was out of earshot he called out with sadness and astonishment in his voice, "Why are you being this way Hekapoo?".

That one struck a nerve with her. She shuddered to herself, and luckily he couldn't see her do it, for she'd have to remain strong for what came next. Hekapoo steeled her nerves and followed behind him, "This is going to be super unpleasant", she whispered to herself.

 ** _So there we go. Hopefully that gives some context to Hekapoo's behaviour last chapter. It'll make alot more sense at the end of the arc, although I'm sure some of you already get why I'm doing what I'm doing. Either way all you smart cookies, leave you're criticisms in the reviews and I'll see you next chapter!_**


	5. chapter 5

**_The Book of Eli: man that was both dark and messed up. And I'm sure Marco's going to push himself down a more hardened path..._**

 ** _Yea, the mature themes are really kicking up, especially in this chapter. Hopefully this path I'm sending him on doesn't seem too hardened to wear it gets out of character._**

 ** _Solid reaperjj: Man... that was brutal... so what was his age at this point? I kinda forgot but it should be like 17 right? That's some heavy shit but even Hekapoo's having a hard time dishing this all out to him._**

 ** _Did you get the idea for the slave camp from fallout 3?_**

 ** _Yea he's 17 and it's pretty heavy, but trust me it may seem out of character for now, but I'll show us what I show us next chapter and it'll make sense why it's all so heavy and dark._** ** _Also, I haven't played fallout 3 yet, I based the pit off of like Roman gladiator slaves. I also described it as being built out of ruined castles to keep that sort of gothic, creepy crawly feeling that has been associated with hell and demons and stuff._**

 **Chapter 5: First Blood**

 **Two** **weeks later**

Marco hadn't slept well the last two weeks. The pain on his back didn't help, but it wasn't what really kept him up. One might think that his peers would have treated him differently after such a humiliating display, but that wasn't quite true either. Sure some of his fellows in chains had lost respect for him, but in the eyes of others he had earned quite a bit of it, so truthfully that wasn't what troubled his mind while the wounds in his flesh were healing: It was Hekapoo who kept his eyes open through the long painful nights.

'Why would she do this? Why did she do that to me? I thought we had just a playful frenemy relationship...I didn't know she actually hated me. Why wouldn't she help me stop this nightmare, is she okay with letting these people's lives be sacrificed on the alter of the crowd's entertainment!?', were some of the many questions that knocked around his head in the nights during his recovery.

He woke up that morning still in pain, but was deemed in enough health by a guard to be sent to the arena in the weekend games. Panic took over, as Marco had seen the results of people going to fight there. Many of those who lost their fights didn't return, and the ones who did often wish they hadn't, having sustained injuries that they would keep until they died: which usually came not too long after they were recovered and sent off to their next fight.

'Oh no. No. No. NO! Fuck, what do I do? What does anyone do in this situation!?', he thinks in a panic. He looks around the camp and notices some of the slaves practicing on some roughly made practice dummies. 'Well, I suppose I might as well practice my heart out for the week. I didn't become a red belt overnight, so I sure as hell won't survive a sword fight if I don't even try.'

Marco approaches the dummies, and those training and sparring nearby. He picks up a wooden katana, and meekly walks over to them. A few glance to him with disdain, but the other slaves see not how he failed but how he tried to free them, and offer to share what they know. It's not much since most of them are only self taught, but Marco won't turn down any help he can get.

He trains all day, his muscles burning from exerting his still recovering body, but he knows he has no choice. Marco pays close attention to the ways those who have won a fight strike their targets. He makes note of the ways those who spar, move very carefully, not overextending their swings and those that don't are quickly attacked, their carelessness being capitalized upon by their opponent. Marco tries to spar a bit, and isn't half bad in the first few rounds: his Tang Soo Do training gives him an advantage in controlling his range of motion against those with less discipline and experience. When he goes against one of the more veteran warriors; however, he is knocked to the ground by a well placed strike to his sore back.

He had been too offensive in his approach, and it left him on his knees in pain, and whats worse is if it were a real fight he'd be dead now. The realization wasn't lost on him, and the thought frightened him a bit. Marco picked his sore body up and after thanking his training partners he decided it's time to rest for the day. His body can't take anymore, and he won't force it to: he knows that he needs to be careful this week or he will exaserbate his injuries to his detrement when the fight comes.

 **Five** **days later**

The big moment is here: a little less than a week was hardly enough time to prepare himself, but Marco hopes his preperation will at least help in some respect when his life is on the line. He thinks back to the ammount of hours he spent practicing parrying with his fellows. He shakes his body out, trying to get the nerves out and limber up to stay light on his toes. The room around him had an array of dingged weapons for the fighters to choose from, and that was about it. Other than that it was a pretty sparse room with a large gate that opens up into the arena on one side, and the door they entered through on the other, a few benches to sit on while waiting were placed inbetween.

He notices one of the guards approaching him, with a weapon in hand, out of the corner of his eye. Reflexively his body tightens up and he gets ready to enter a defensive stance. It doesn't go unnoticed by the guard, who says, "Don't worry, lad, I'm not here to hurt you".

Marco recognizes that voice and turns to face the guard directly. "Oh it's you", he says as he addresses the guard who treated him humanely after his beating, "what are you doing here?" Marco can't help but be suspicious: the demon was a guard after all. He had seen how most of the guards would treat the slaves, and his cautious nature kept this fact on his mind, though Marco tried to look passed that. He'd made a snap judgement on someone new in the past, and she's now his best friend, so he was trying to make a habit of not doing that any longer.

The guard hands Marco the blade he has in hand: it's a katana, like the sword Marco had practiced with for the week, except it's real, and really sharp, so the guard passes it by the blade. Marco takes hold of the hilt and looks confused but grateful to the guard as he tries to walk away like nothing had happened.

"Wait!", Marco called out to the guard, "Why? Why haven't you treated me like the other guards?" It was genuinely confusing to him. He hadn't done this guard any favors, and he didn't know him either, so why would he be befriended by him?

"Because you've got spirit, boy", the guard answered frankly, "Most who are brought here are weak or have their willpower beaten out of them. They're forced to walk around naked, to be degraded daily by their captors and eventually to slaughter one another in this very arena. They have no hope, and those who have the strength to fight and lead fret over their own skin, rising through this hell to join our guard order. You haven't shown signs of anything like that my boy. No, you rallied the weak and downtrodden to fight to restore their dignity, and for that you've earned my respect, and the respect of many other guards, even though they will still treat you as lesser and still hate you", he finished his speech with a nod to the young man, turning and walking away before he could be asked any more questions.

"Alright you disgusting lot", a guard near the gate exclaims, "it's almost time for the show to start, so you had better pray to whatever you believe in and prepare to be shocked as the life drains from your eyes as you find that it didn't help one bit", he finished with a sickening laugh. Marco stares into his reflection in the sword, and tries his hardest to steel his nerves for what's to come. 'I wonder who I'm fighting tonight? Will they be someone I know? Will that even matter when it comes down to what I'll have to do?'

 **A few hours later**

Marco had watched most of the other slaves walk through the gate on this side, and only a few come back. "Hey you, human, your up next!", the guard at the gate yells to Marco, with a disgusting laugh, and as Marco approaches he says, "Last fight of the night, so try to make a better show for the audience than your shitty little rebellion was for our blood empress."

'Blood empress?', Marco wondered, 'who the hell is the blood empress?'. Confused and riddled with stress, Marco almost doesn't notice as the gate flies open. The slaver shoves him through it, and Marco for the first time tonight realizes just how many people are in the crowd. Deafening roars erupt as he and his opponent enter the arena.

For a split second Marco finds himself being overwhelmed by it all. Hundreds of thousands of demons stare down at him from the crowds, shouting and reveling excitedly at the fight to come. If it weren't for the fear creeping in the back of his mind he might be impressed by it all: instead he takes in the grisly scene around him. Bodies, limbs and blood of the fallen lay upon the rocky, black sand.

Marco would probably have been embarrassed that for the most part he was bared all to the crowd, with only his hoodie acting as a loin cloth. Before this thought can cross his mind; however, the crowd goes silent.

He looks up and around trying to find out what has happened: then he spots something that makes his stomach rise into his throat. Hekapoo stands in a booth that looks lush and VIP, or as lush as a booth within a coliseum built from several ruined demon castles could be. She's holding her hands up shushing the crowd and everyone's eyes are fixed, almost hypnotically, on her.

"Demons and gentle demons", her voice booms, filling the entire arena with it's sound, "are you ready for the final fight of the night!?" The crowd roars in response, cheering gleefully at the blood bath to come. Marco's head was swimming. Now he was even more confused as to his ability to judge the character of others. He figured Hekapoo stopping his rebellion was strange considering he saw her as more of a friendly rival than an enemy, but this just didn't add up.

'She's actively orchestrated all of this. She's the blood empress, but then why was she so nice to me before in the woods? Surely she's not this evil is she? How could anyone tasked with a job like her's be so cruel, and how would anyone ever pass her tests if she was? And if Hekapoo is this rotten, why did she ever take pity on me in the first place?', Marco's mind raced with these questions as the crowd continued to cheer to their blood empress.

Hekapoo put her hands back up and the crowd fell silent once more. She boomed out in her boisterous fashion, "Then let's get this fight starrtteeddd!". The crowd cheered once more, louder and more full of energy than ever. Letting her smile drop, Hekapoo turned and began to walk to the exit of her booth.

One of her personal guards calls out to her, "My lady, don't you want to watch the outcome of the fight?" She felt sick to her stomach. She'd seen enough bloodshed for the night, and while it wasn't the violence that bothered her so much, the thought of this last fight was not something she wished to ruminate on any longer. She leaves her booth without answering, heading for the exit of the stadium.

Back down on the ground Marco was busy sizing up his opponent. They circle one another slowly, keeping their footwork very balanced so that neither could trip up the other. He recognized his opponent as one of the more experienced fighters who helped him prepare for this night. He was taller than Marco, and looked relatively humanoid other than his skin being blue and scaly, and his eyes beady and cold like those of a snake. He was weilding what looked to be a European style shortsword, though the metal it was made of didn't look like steel: it didn't look like any metal Marco knew of on Earth. Marco could feel his heart beating in his throat, as he looked at his fellow slave. The eyes that once looked at him with admiration for trying to end their struggles were now a hardened gaze. They both knew what had to happen tonight.

The snake man made the first move, thrusting his shortsword towards Marco's stomach. Marco responds in kind by jumping back a hair and letting the sword miss him. Planting his other foot forward, the snake follows up with a diagonal, downwards cut across Marco's chest. Marco parries the cut while stepping back, almost slipping on the gravel from his sloppy footwork. The adrenaline of the situation was kicking in, and Marco's panic turned to pure survival instinct.

Determined not to lose more ground, he allows another cut to be thrown at his right side. Marco parries upwards, knocking his opponents arms up enoug for him to initiate some grappling. In the split second opportunity he has, Marco wraps his off hand around the chest of the other combatant. He steps his leg behind theirs and uses it as a leverage point to toss them to the ground hard. The wind is knocked from the snake man and the sword is released from his grasp. Before he can recover, Marco kicks away the shortsword and places the tip of his blade at his opponent's throat.

The crowd whoops and cheers at Marco's apparent victory, chanting in murderous glee, "Kill! Kill! Kill!" Marco was at a loss, he was no killer was he? He looks down into the eyes of his foe and immediately regrets it. Fear and panic were the sights which met his gaze. The same fear and panic he felt, that all living brings felt as death loomed over them. What was he doing: he couldn't really kill this man could he?

Marco was caught off guard, and the snake man took his opportunity to regain dominance over the situation. He tripped Marco and as he fell to the sharp ground next to him, the snake man scurried to his sword. Both competitors got to their feet and readied themselves for another bout. Adrenaline and fear permeated the air between them, as they rushed at each other.

A cut that looked to go high had Marco slide on his knees painfully towards his enemy. Little did he know it was a feint for a lower cut but it had mattered not in the end. The snake man's cut did manage to connect with Marco's flesh, nearly slicing his eye in two, but it was Marco's cut that took the day. As Marco had dodged the high cut turned low, he'd instinctively followed up with a sideways body cut of his own. The man fell to his knees next to Marco and Marco's good eye met his opponent's one last time. He hesitantly looked down to see the man's organs hanging from his body, the slice having disemboweled his foe.

Marco sprang up and fell back onto his backside and hands, trying to crawl away in reverse as quickly as his body could take him, but stumbling the whole way. He turned to face the earth and vomits hard, unable to see through the blood in one eye, and unable to hear the crowd roaring in a fervor. 'What have I done?', was all he could think. The rest of the night was a blur. Marco didn't remember getting cleaned up or going back to the camp, but he suddenly found himself in bed. His eye was covered in bandages and he laid there motionless.

No tears fell from his good eye, no anguished cries spilled forth from his lips that night, for he was too overwhelmed for it all. Too many questions on his mind, too many thoughts to process, so he just laid in stunned silence the whole night. Everything that had happened replaying in his head, over and over, keeping him from the relief of being unconscious.

 **The next day**

Marco didn't want to get out of his cot today. He wanted to lay in it all morning as he did all night, and try to process the events of the night before, but he knew there was no point. He knew of only one person in the camp who could help him make sense of it all. The one guard who claims to be in his corner, so that's who he went looking for. After scouring the camp, Marco finds him.

"Hey", Marco calls to him, dead of eyes and dead in voice, "We need to talk."

 ** _So things got a little hectic back there, huh? It is all kinds of messed up right now, but don't worry, it will all make sense soon hooefully. This next chapter is to be the end of this underworld arc of the story. Everybody pumped!? Either way, leave your criticisms in the reviews._**


	6. chapter 6

**_So I mentioned this at the end of my one shot "A Wonderful Caricature", but since I'm not sure if any of you who follow this story read it, I figured I should probably reiterate it here. I'm so sorry the update time on this fic has gone up so drastically. I originally only planned on this being a ten chapter story, with roughly each chapter focusing on a plot point then moving on, but it's grown so much from my original expectations. The story has opened itself up in much more detail to me than I thought possible, and so many more people are reading my first shitty fanfic than I ever could have dreamed of. So thank you, all of you who read this story and make me want to write it out so much better than I originally imagined it could be. Now onto the comments for last chapter._**

 ** _The Book of Eli: well looks like Marco has answered one question both have several new ones to ask. And another crack in Hekapoo's treatment of Marco. But I don't think she'll find it too funny when he breaks out..._**

 ** _Hopefully this one answers any and all questions you could have up to this point and more! ;)_**

 ** _SolidReaperjj: Oh this was such a great fight for his life. I wish the Hekapoo would've seen the end of his fight or at least seen the look in his eyes after killing the man._**

 ** _Really like how you had taken us through his small training. The story is moving along great!_**

 ** _Glad you liked the fight! Was hoping it came out as cool but somewhat believable for a fight. Don't get me wrong, fights will get better and more over the top amazing, but his first real fight needed to feel more realistic to me or I worried it would feel hard to connect emotionally to it._**

 **Chapter 6: Friendship**

"I want to know what you know", Marco stated simply. The bat demon looked at the clearly tired young man before him and pondered what Marco said to him for a moment. 'Last night must've been harder for him then I thought it'd be, poor fuckin chap', he thinks solemnly, then looks Marco up and down trying to decide how to answer the boy's question.

"A bit vague don'tcha think?", he replies somewhat sarcastically and somewhat seriously, "I mean, I know quite a few things about a few things, and next to nothing about others, son. What is it you want to know specifically?", he finishes with his own question.

Marco thinks about this carefully, or as carefully as his troubled mind can at the moment, then answers, "Last night, you'd said that those with the power to lead everyone out of this mess tend to end up making their way into your guard instead, why is that? How is that? Do you know any guards who've done that personally?"

The bat man takes notice of how even in such a disheveled state, Marco's mind is still a curious one with room to learn and grow. He clears his throat then answers, "Well they make their way into the guard by showing an interest in it really. We don't have much of a joining requirement, we just bring in those who are strong and those who can handle being tough on the prisoners.."

"Slaves", Marco corrected him with an irritated twitch in his good eye.

"Slaves, prisoners, what's the difference really?", the guard fired back, a bit annoyed at the interruption.

"Where I'm from, the word prisoner only applies to those convicted of a crime, and most don't get out of their sentence via death", Marco stated coldly.

The demon could hear in Marco's voice he'd struck a nerve in the young man. "I see", he says sympathetically, "Though I'm assuming that some sentences do end in death where you're from. And just because a prisoner was a criminal, does that make your treatment of them less slave like? They don't have freedom, and are forced to do dirty work: same here 'cept we're forced to fight and don't need be convicted of any worse crime then just being caught at the wrong place during the wrong time."

Truthfully, Marco had never thought about it that way: in fact he'd never given much thought to prison in general. His life had been great so far. He never had to struggle for anything, and he never really felt the need to break the rules. These thoughts joined the many others rolling around in his head before he realized this was getting him off track.

As if on cue, the man piped up once more, "Regardless, onto your other questions. You asked if I know anyone who has personally made their way into the guard: well I do. Quite a few actually, plus I bloody well am one", he finishes with no shame in his voice.

Another nerve rattled in Marco at this revelation. "Why?", he asked, "Why would you join such oppressive people if you could fight back?" He couldn't make sense of it. Not that it was nonsensical of course, it was just that Marco's personal feelings about his freedoms and the freedoms of others got in the way of him seeing things for what they truly were in this case.

"That's simple, boy", the guard replied, "Just because I could fight back doesn't mean others can. Think about it", he continued, "You tried for yourself to bust everyone out, but not all the fighters here are true warriors like yourself. Most aren't even in the slightest sense. They fight to live, and you fight with purpose. Only those with purpose could ever even hope to escape here. To escape her."

That all seemed to click well with Marco; a little too well at that. 'How can someone tell a person fighting with purpose from a person fighting without it? Wouldn't fighting for your life make you fight just as hard? How would he know..', Marco began to think before a light fired off in his head. "Her", Marco repeated back to the guard, "Tell me what you know about Hekapoo. I don't understand what's going on, I mean, I thought she was my friend? You chase someone down for years on end, you think you get to know them, but how? Why would she...I just..", he began to lose the words he was desperately trying to formulate. It didn't compute and thinking about it had started to bring about those uncomfortable questions from before.

The guard could see the strain behind Marco's eyes and put his hand on his shoulder. "Sit down, kid", he says as he pushes Marco down slowly.

"It's Marco", Marco responds to the guard after being called 'kid'.

"Marco, eh? Name's Patrick, but let's try to answer your questions now that the pleasantries are over", the guard says, and after letting Marco process his thoughts for a moment, continues with, "Listen Marco, first thing you need to know about her kind: friendship doesn't mean as much as it means to other kinds. It's a 'simple concept' to 'em."

"What does that even mean?", Marco fires back, his confusion in no way being helped by this. 'A simple concept?', Marco ponders, 'Sure it's simple but that doesn't mean friends treat friends like this. Unless there really is nothing more between us than this test...'

"What does it mean? What do you mean by having chased her for years?", Patrick asks, a little shocked at the idea of a human having chased down a being such as Hekapoo for more than a few days without being killed. "You some kind of pervert or something? I mean, I know she's quite a looker, but if you're gunning for her for that then..", he pauses for a second then continues, "hot damn you've got some huge balls."

"Pervert? What!?", Marco responds a bit flustered by the older man's insinuation, "Nonononono. You've got it all wrong. I've been chasing her for this stupid test, to get a pair of stupid dimensional scissors, because I was stupid enough to get my friend's pair taken!", he finishes his sentence with an exasperated huff. "What have I gotten myself into?", he asks genuinely, "I thought it was gonna be just some silly test then I'd be done, back home with my best friend and my family. How could I know Hekapoo was some kind of...monster..", the last word slips from Marco's mouth with a shudder. He'd dealt with monsters before, no this, this was something entirely different.

The older guard saw the distress on the young mans face and something paternal compelled him to pat him on the shoulder a few times. "Look, son", Patrick began, "I don't really know the extent of your relationship with our blood empress, but I do know this whole situation is eating you up inside, and I hate to see it. Like I said before, I respect your guts, and if you'd like, I can help you with your 'test'", he finished with something akin to a friendly smile on his face.

At least the look on Patrick's face seemed to be as smiley as a bat snout could be, so Marco smiled back genuinely at the man. Then Marco's skepticism returned to him, so he asks, "But how could you help me Patrick? No offense of course, and I'm not turning down any help I could possibly get, but how could I complete my test stuck here? It's like she set me up to fail..", he finishes with a somewhat defeated sound to his voice.

"I think you've lost the plot Marco, me boy", Patrick replies, "If she's not let you leave here, then she must want you here. Perhaps she thinks you can handle it. Perhaps this is all just another part of your test", he concludes.

"Another part of the test?", Marco says in disbelief, "If that's the case then it's not a very fair test is it?" It couldn't possibly be true could it? Hekapoo seemed tricky, but Marco never thought of her as being a cheat.

"Maybe it isn't fair, but who told you it would be?", Patrick fires back. "Look young blood, I've lived for quite a long time and fought quite a many battles here before I joined the guard. I've even seen a few other humans here before", he says knowing it would catch Marco's interest, "and let me tell you, you're people are quite a strange lot. Most were weaker than the other beings who are taken here, dying from the mistreatment alone: never once making it to even see the inside of the pit, but others were quite the opposite. Those who'd fought to see a family again, who'd fought for more purpose than their lives, fought harder than even wolf-bear berserkers. This test very well might be stacked against you now, but it doesn't have to stay that way. You fight with purpose, and I can train you to use your body more effectively in service of that purpose. So, what do you say kid?", he concluded in an intrigued voice, eager to know Marco's response.

Marco mulled the ideas around his head and figured he'd came to a conclusion. "Learning to fight would be great, but can it get me out of here?", he asked his new mentor. With a nod, Patrick set a fire burning in Marco's eyes. "Then let's start as soon as possible.", Marco answered, with his voice filled with determination.

 **Two** **weeks later**

 _(Music if you like: Eye of the Tiger Power Metal Cover by Johnathan Young Music)_

After letting his eye gash heal to an appropriate level, and getting back into the workout routine he established when he'd done martial arts, Marco was ready for his training. He stood in front of his mentor with practice sword in hand, awaiting instruction for his first lesson. "Now", Patrick began, "defense is everything when you're opponent has sharp steel in his hand, and is trying to run you through with it. One of the most important pieces of your arsenal in such situations is the simple art of the dodge", he finished.

Marco seemed a bit unimpressed by his new sensei's words. He already knew how to dodge, and right before he could voice this objection he was cut off. "DODGE!", Patrick shouted at him, as his own practice sword slammed hard into Marco's ribs. He fell to the ground clutching his side, and looks up to see the wooden tip of the practice longsword aimed at his throat.

"You'd be dead from the cut to the side alone, but if you weren't then you wouldn't have had long with this sword pointed at your throat", Patrick said to his winded student. "Dodging a fist and dodging a weapon follow the same principles true", he began, "but the difference is that it only really takes one good slice to end you. Next time try moving your body when the blade flies at it, Yea?", he ended mockingly.

Marco got back up, and spent most of the day getting whacked around by his faster opponent. He'd try his hardest to avoid being hit: he'd tried everything he possibly could. Dodging, dipping, ducking, diving, and dodging all day to no avail, always being put in his place by a loud smack from the wooden sword. After a while he felt a bit enraged and tried to strike back at his master, things didn't work out quite as planned. He was parried and shoulder checked. As the wind flew from his mouth, he felt himself being flipped over said shoulder, gasping for breath once his back hit the ground. "That's enough for today Marco", Patrick says, noting the growing frustration in his pupils eyes.

Marco wasn't one to fight against a teacher's orders when he felt they were well reasoned, and begrudgingly agreed. For quite a while after: practice ensued every day that wasn't a fight day or rest day. Marco continued to learn from his sensei and put the skills to work when his neck was on the line in the arena. He'd kept his strength of purpose on his mind constantly, never allowing himself to just lay down and die after an injury should have finished him. And every fight he would look up to that booth to see no sign of that blood empress watching, which never ceased to bother him.

'I'm coming for you Hekapoo', he thought to himself after tonight's fight, 'and soon you won't be able to hide away and ignore it.'

 **Two** **years later**

Marco stepped out into the middle of the pit, staring up at the screaming crowd all around him. The Marco from all those years past would've loved the attention, having been relatively unpopular at school, but he'd never have done what he'd done now to earn it. He'd never do what he'd do tonight in this arena either if it didn't come down to survival, but such is life, and no amount of disgust would change that he was a man on a mission and ready to be done with his time here. Larger than he was two years ago, Marco's frame was about at the size he'd expect to be for the rest of his life. Still a little smaller than he could fully expect to be in a year or so, Marco had filled out quite a bit. He was taller, and his body was ripped metaphorically and literally: with muscles and scars clinging to his bones like his hoodie clung to his hips.

A veteran of over a hundred battles, and the student of a strong, self taught swordsman, Marco was as well equipped as he possibly could be for tonight. Tonight was the night it all comes to an end. See a rule had been put in place when Hekapoo had set up this little operation, that whoever could survive a hundred or more fights in the pit could take on the blood empress herself, and if by some miracle they won that fight, they'd get to ask anything they could want from her. Many warriors had tried before, some had even come close, but most would fall to another competitor trying to rise his way out as well.

"Hekapoo!", he shouted as she stepped out to the balcony of her booth, "You know why I'm here tonight!" The crowd roared at his confidence, buzzing with anticipation for the fight of the night. Truthfully, she was a sight for sore eyes to Marco, a very shapely sight at that. His feelings on her may have still been extremely confusing at the moment, but her beauty never came into question when Marco thought about her. See there were some women in the camp, but life in the pit is a hard and cruel one. Everybody there who had survived a fight had a similar outlook on life. Survival was paramount over friends in the situation, and while many made close bonds with their siblings of bondage, nobody would bat an eye at killing their best friend in the arena if it meant living to the next day. So Marco never had an eye for the women there, never let them distract him from his mission and never saw them in any light other than fellow warriors and probable enemies to kill.

 _(Music if you like: Back in Black by ACDC)_

With a mighty leap, Hekapoo jumps into the pit with Marco. She holds half a scissor in either hand like daggers, and smirks at the champion who this whole arena was made for. Truthfully it wasn't designed with Marco specifically in mind, but she had been given this place of barbarism long ago to test those who sought out her scissors. After centuries of failing to produce a champion, she'd stopped paying much more attention to it than needed to keep the place up and running. The fights would still go on and if anyone had ever made it this far they definitely would have earned scissors without having to ask to be tested, but none ever made it here before him. Truthfully she hadn't even known that Marco's trip to the Underworld would end in him being tested here, but once she'd discovered the fact that he was from his slave revolt, she couldn't bare to not see someone finally best this wicked place.

She smirked at the young man before her. His body gleamed with sweat and the sight was quite pleasing to her eye. "So fleshwad", she teased, "You finally made it?" Her teasing demeanor hit something hard in Marco's mind. 'After all this time, this mindless bloodshed and agonizing pain...and she's still acting like its the same game we started years ago!?', he thought enraged.

Without dignifying her question with an answer he jumped at her, throwing a horizontal slice at her midsection. She parries it expertly, and follows up by grabbing his stronger arm. The look on his face bothers her, so she stabs at it. 'He's being no fun', she thinks as her scissor narrowly misses when he dodges his head out of the way. Using his new strength he wrenches his dominant arm from her grip and shoulder checks her away from him, his cheeks burning with anger at the reason he's been trapped in such a nightmare.

"What not gonna talk to me then?", Hekapoo asks, angered by her teases having no affect on him. "Why are you acting like such an ass Marco!?", she shouts at him as she deflects a few more strikes from his katana. They go back and forth for a while like this, trading blows on equal footing, neither able to exploit an advantage over the other. Hekapoo gets an idea and allows one of Marco's slices to get a bit closer than the others, slicing open some of her dress around her breast area.

The sudden show of skin catches Marco off guard long enough for Hekapoo to kick him in the chest, sending him sliding on his back in the sharp gravel. She steps onto his dominant wrist which is currently holding the sword since his two handed stance was broken and sticks her tongue out at him. Something in Marco snaps and he shouts at her frustrated, "What is wrong with you Hekapoo!?"

"Wrong with me?", she answers, "You're the one that's been acting like a stick in the mud this whole time! And then the first thing you say to me after all this time is 'what is wrong with me'!?", she spits back, kind of mad herself. In her emotional state Marco manages to knock her off her feet and get to his own. She makes it back up to hers just in time to parry a downward cut that just about went through her head.

The battle continues but now Marco is fired up, shouting at her between cuts. "Yes! What! Is wrong! With! You!", he yells as their fight goes on, "I've been through hell for years now, all over your stupid, unfair test to get these damned scissors! I thought it was bad the first three, but here we are now, after I've murdered in cold blood more than a hundred people to get here. At least out in the woods I thought we were friends, that I had you to connect to and looked forward to every clone encounter, but obviously we aren't because you left me to rot a slave in your sick Roman knock off arena!"

The last of what he said caught her somewhere within, causing her to almost get sliced in two as her guard dropped, which she only barely avoided with a dodge to the right. "Wait. Wait. Wait. Marco, do you think we're not friends?", Hekapoo asked as the battle kept pace, with her losing ground. 'Why would he think I'm not his friend', she wondered genuinely, unable to really understand Marco's problem right now.

They fought hard but in the end Marco had pushed her up to the walls, and she had no where to go from here, but before he could throw the last blow, he couldn't help but question her in astonishment. "Do I think we're not friends?", he asked in unbelievable shock at such a question, "What kind of friend leaves another, nay, keeps another from escaping enslavement. Is complicit in their fighting and killing of other slaves all in the name of survival, and runs the entire operation responsible for it, Hekapoo?", he finished with a few tears falling from his confused eyes.

"Oh, Marco" she said softly upon seeing him cry, " don't you get it yet you big dummy? Friendship is such a simple concept, and I live in a world so much more complex than yours." He looked stunned at the genuine concern he could see in her eyes, his arms were still at the ready to strike, fearing this was but a trick, but then she continued. "I'm not like you Marco", she states with no pride in her voice, "I wasn't born into this multi verse not knowing what from what, with no idea what I'd do or become. I was created for one purpose, to forge the scissors that tear the fabric of reality, and to test those who seek to acquire them. I don't enjoy you're suffering you asshat, but each test I design for each testee, and yours was designed with hardship in mind. Don't you get that I'm just doing what I have to!? I have no choice!", she yelled at him, both a reaffirming sentiment to herself, and an explanation for him.

She hears the steel of his sword drop against the coarse terrain, and before she can look back at his face she feels herself wrapped in his tight, warm embrace. "I...I didn't know", he says his voice conflicted by the flood of differing emotions in his mind, as he strokes her hair softly. The crowd above hollers and boos at the fight having stopped at such a pivotal moment, though some secretly were enraptured by such a beautiful display. "I guess I just focused on my own suffering here...", he says as he keeps softly running his fingers through her hair, avoiding the flame burning between her horns. She lays her head on his shoulder and drops her scissor blades as he continues, "I never even gave thought to the idea that you didn't enjoy this madness either. I just jumped to the conclusion that you were an evil force who's tests are rigged and who hated me...I'm sorry Hekapoo", he says unsure of what to think anymore as he breaks their hug.

"Don't be sorry you goof", she says as she punches him in the shoulder, "how could you have known before yanno?" She smiles at her friend, who smiles weakly back. Emotionally Marco felt like a slow motion train wreck was on loop in his head after all he'd been through, but at least he finally felt some small sliver of closure about his close rival. He couldn't shake all the deepest feelings of anger at her away, but he genuinely felt bad for her, so it was a start. "Whelp", she says, "guess you've beaten me. So what do you ask of me then?", she asks as she seductively drops to one knee, then plays it off as she bows her head and crosses her arm over her heart, making it seem as if it was just her being formal.

He looked down at her bowing before him and blushed a bit at her sensual descent. Marco didn't think even slightly about his answer, he knew what he wanted the moment he was clued in about this little deal. "Shut the pit down H-poo", he said with his words full of conviction.

"Don't call me that, but as you wish", Hekapoo says in annoyance to him. She looked up to the crowd and addressed them about the events of the night, "Demons and gentle demons, tonight is a night that will go down in underworld history", she boomed. "The pit has seen it's first and last champion, and by decree of the champion, it is to be shut down permenantly henceforth." The crowd began an uproar of booing and insults at her words, to which Hekapoo responded by yelling sassily, "You all better get out of here or I'll set the slaves on you and have them spectate as you all fight me!"

 **Hours later**

All the crowd had left and guards were in the middle of trying to round up everyone still in the camp. They were presenting people with clothes and compensation for the awful treatment they'd suffered there, and were working with the enslaved to get them returned to their homes. Many had been skeptical when they'd first heard the news, but after seeing Marco return out of the ring with the blood empress herself following behind, they quickly took it as true and began celebrating him. Now the long process of getting their lives back together was underway, as Marco and Hekapoo watched from nearby the guard quarters. He had just exited the building after saying goodbye to his mentor. He looked at Hekapoo who glanced back to him in return.

"So little boy", she says to a red faced Marco, " are you sure you don't want to go back? You said it yourself, life's been hell for you this past half decade, why not go back to your friends and family on earth?", she asked in genuine curiosity. Marco looked at the palms of his hands and sat silently for a moment, trying to figure out the answer to that himself.

"I don't know if I can go back anymore..", he says with a bit of strain in his voice, "I've spent so much time chasing you, I've been through so much. The Marco who first came here isn't the Marco that would return, and I'm not sure how to feel about it." A pang of guilt went through Hekapoo momentarily at the genuine sadness her friend was experiencing, but she knew the truth of his situation and so it left her. "Well, I do know one thing I guess, and that's that I've come this far so I might as well keep going right?", Marco asked, trying to justify not going home to himself.

"Right", she replied. She opens up a portal and drops to her knees in front of him again, much like she did in the arena. "Well, blow out my flame and go on through when you're ready then little boy, we're not done with the game yet", Hekapoo says with a smirk that shows one little fang through it. Marco blows out the flickering fire and steps through the portal.

He's back at the hub and finds that there is some things at his feet that weren't here last time. A little note attached to some clothing reads, 'thought you could use these xoxo -Hekapoo'. He pulls on the boxers then the jeans, and slips on the sleeveless jacket, and sheathes his sword. Marco laces up the boots and ties his hoodie around his neck like a cloak, flipping the hood up on his head. "Where to next?", he asked himself aloud with a determined smirk on his face.

 ** _So I put in some music suggestions for some of the scenes this chapter. I don't know if I will in any other chapters, because I know I personally have a hard tome reading with lyrical music playing in the background, but I've read other fics where it worked to enhance the feel for me. Maybe I oughtta just suggest the intrumentals instead? Idk, either way, please review guys. I write this story as much as entertainment for you guys as a creative outlet for me, so I just gotta know what you like and don't like about it in as much detail as you can spare. Thank youuuu!_**


	7. chapter 7

**_joaomedeirosneves: Well, this is getting to be very interesting, keep it up! I feel like you're portraying Marco very adequately, I can definitely see him acting the way he does in your story, so it feels very real. I also really enjoyed the music selections, they take the fight scenes to a whole new level._**

 ** _Thank you so much for your praise. I've read quite a bit of fanfiction where the characters don't really sync up well, and normally it doesn't detract from the story at all, but I've made a consistent mission of trying to portray these characters as in character as I can. Also, thanks for the feedback on the music, I think I'll throw the suggestions in most chapters from this point on._**

 ** _The Book of Eli: well this was tense and touching altogether and good job at playing at Hekapoo's lore. Like most powerful beings in the universe just poofed into reality with no idea of anything. Except to do one job and nothing else. So Yea I'm still having fun..._**

 ** _I'm glad you're still having fun with the story! Also, I'm glad you picked up on the throw in to her lore. SVtFOE lore is kinda interesting, and I thought it'd be doing an injustice to not bring up some of the juicier lore bits that I knew about._**

 ** _SolidReaperjj: Okay so your review was so amazingly long(thank you so much for every word, it really helped), that I'm going to just address your point. This chapter, probably wouldn't have existed without you, cause felt you were right. It did feel a bit plot holey to make Marco act the way I did without some context, so here ya go! Hope it scratches that itch of "what was he thinking" you were havin. :D_**

 ** _Beasty12321: It was very interesting that you made them have a moment of bonding to figured out why they acted like that way to each other even though they were supposed to kill each other._**

 ** _Glad you thought so too!_** ** _Onto the chapter!_**

 **Chapter 7: Tormented Yet Blissful Mind**

Marco figures he's taken enough days to rest and decides it'd be a good idea to get productive. He looks from portal to portal trying to decide which one to go through next. He pulls out a book with little flames lining each page and spends some time scratching one out for each Hekapoo he's taken care of. 'Hekapoo.' The name crossing his mind brings him back to the worst of himself. He sees his fights in the arena, starving alone in the woods, and every single instance he felt he couldn't keep it up. Marco starts to sprint away from the portal hub, deciding that perhaps his workout regiment can help calm his mind: he begins to think of the best times to try and counterbalance his negative thoughts and emotions.

 **Flashback: three days ago, in the guard commons**

Marco enters the guard commons looking for his mentor and good friend, Patrick. He spots the man in one of the more comfortable lounge chairs, and it seems he is asleep. 'I wonder how old Patrick is to his kind? He said he'd lived hundreds of years, but for all I know that's just a drop in the ocean for the lifespan of his people', Marco thinks about his aging sensei. He sits in the chair across from Patrick and waits for him to wake.

After about twenty minutes, Patrick stirs and opens one eye at the feeling of being watched. He spots his apprentice in the chair in front of him, and opens his other eye. 'By George he must have done it if he's still here!', Patrick thinks ecstatically. "Well. Well. I take it all those lessons paid off then?", he asks his student with as sly a smile as his bat face could make.

"Uh...duhh, I'm not dead am I?", Marco asks with confidence and swagger at his victory tonight. He's excited to be able to tell his friend that all of his training made the difference between a horrible death, and the events of the night.

"Well, I don't know", Patrick teases, "are you dead? You must remember boy: I'm not a young man anymore. For all I know we're both dead...", he says, going silent for a moment before laughing at Marco's confused and sour look at being teased. "I'm just joshing child. By the looks of you, it was a good fight: nary a scratch on you, but even after a good fight you never look at me like this, so spit it out boy. What's got you so excited about this victory? The wish?", he finishes with curiosity in his voice.

"Well sort of, but no not really.", Marco answers truthfully, "Sure I'm glad about my request getting fulfilled, but I'm even more relieved I got to walk out of that pit with no blood on my hands for once."

"No blood on your hands?", Patrick questions unbelievingly, "How did you manage to exit the ring without a scratch on you if you didn't kill her? Is that even possible? Well I suppose if anyone is capable of it, it's you Marco.", he answers with a look of pride for his student on his face.

Marco smiles widely at his friend and puts his arm out to him. His mentor takes it and gives it a firm shake. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me, Patrick. I don't know if I would've survived without your training.", Marco says genuinely.

"I should be thanking you, Marco.", Patrick replies, "I've been here a very long time, with little purpose to what I did after I left the pit fighting. Took one bad injury and there went my chances of ever leaving this place to see my son again, but at least later on down the road you showed up. I got another chance to pass on some of what I've learned in my years.", he finishes with a weak smile.

Marco looks at his friend, saddened to hear this but also with some pride from his words. "Patrick, you had a son?", Marco asks sympathetically.

"Aye", Patrick replies, "I did. He was just about a young man when I was kidnapped by the slavers. I never made it back to him, and on bad days I wonder what he must think of me.", he looks off into the distance for a moment before continuing, "But I'm not too worried about it anymore: I may never really know, but it gets me through the day to think that if he's half the man you turned out to be, he's a better man than I. He and his mother are probably living a good life that he went out and built for them.", he finishes with one tear sliding from his right eye.

Marco pats his sensei on the shoulder comfortingly. He looks at the older man and says with genuine belief in his voice, "I'm sure he turned out to be a better man than the both of us Pat."

"Here, I made ya something, Marco", Patrick said as he handed him a little journal and pen, "It's filled to the brim with little flames. Use it to keep track of every blood empress you meet out there, yea?" They shook hands once more, Marco thanked his mentor for the gift, then left the building to continue his journey.

 **Flashback end**

He finishes his run, but his thoughts still bothers him. He drops into his push-ups and thinks a bit deeper into why he feels this way. 'Maybe I should try and remember the good times we had. She didn't always make me this anxious, no need to forget that', Marco assures himself. He thinks back to his time in the jungle: to the first place he got a taste of true, and primal freedom.

 **Flashback: three and a half years ago, in the woodlands dimension**

Marco silently prowls in the tall forest trees, stalking his prey on the ground below. He eyes his rival up and down, taking note of how she seemingly walks on top of the mucky soil that he sinks into. 'Better stick to the traps and trees then', he thinks to himself, 'If take it to the forest floor here she'll outrun me worse than she normally can'. A playful lopsided smile stretches itself across his lips, and he begins the chase.

 _(Music if you like: Kryptonite by Three Doors Down)_

Hekapoo hears a rustling in the treetops as a wild Marco swings from a thick vine down towards her. She ducks and splits into three clones, sticking all three tongues out at the wild boy as he lands in a tree nearby. They take off into a sprint away from him, keeping in tight formation at first. Marco kicks himself off his tree to one nearby: he gracefully flies between the branches as he chases her down. For a moment he looses her, but then he picks up on her impish giggle and is hot on the trail again.

One of the Hekapoo's split off from the group and hides behind an inclined rock nearby. She looks around the area and confidently snickers about getting the upper hand. She sinks down to the ground to rest and obscure herself in the foliage. Little does she know that her little outburst put Marco right on her trail.

He fly's from tree to tree, always aiming for the ones coated in the strange purple moss he'd discovered here, to soften the sounds of him hitting the branch. He spots a rustling in some foliage by a rock with a steep incline and deftly climbs down to a branch that hangs over the stone. He hangs from his legs out of the tree and taps the resting Hekapoo on the back of the head. Right as she looks up at him, he flashes her a toothy grin and a wave before blowing her flame out, giving her no time to react.

He let's his legs fall from the tree, flipping backwards and landing in a crouched position on the inclined stone. He listens for a moment then locks on to the sounds of the other two clones running further ahead. Using the rock as a ramp, Marco runs as quickly as his legs will carry him and launches himself off the apex to a nearby branch: he grabs onto the mossy limb just enough to swing himself forward, flying off it and gaining altitude. He kicks off a tree next to him from the air and uses it to land in a higher position than he could have climbed to without losing the trail. After a split second's scan of the forest below, Marco smirks knowingly at their direction and is back on the trail, following the broken foliage from a speedy Hekapoo.

The other Hekapoos feel the wild one blow out the hiding clone and keep hoofing it. The one in front gets snatched into the air by her left leg, a snare trap hoists her up into the air. Without hesitation she throws her hand out to the clone speeding to her below. They lock arms and using the forward momentum, the hanging one throws the running one over a few more snare traps. She lands with a tuck and roll several yards away, and continues to bolt without even looking back. If she had she would have seen a wild Marco jumping from a nearby tree onto the vine ensnaring the other clone.

His momentum is enough to force their combined weight forward just enough for said weight to carry them through the string. "Hi", he says with a devilish look in his eyes as he makes contact with the trap. "Hi", she responds with a knowing smirk, holding her dress in place with her hands. He blows out her flame and using his natural agility fly's into a flip right side up on a tree up ahead, sparing no seconds as he continues the chase immediately upon landing.

He continues to fly through the trees, speeding up and turning in anticipation of where she'll flee to. He gets ahead of her and slices a vine perfectly executing his plan. A log drops out of a tree right behind Hekapoo, and slams into her back, sending her flying up into an awaiting Marco's arms. He catches her and looks at her with a smug grin of satisfaction.

"Boop", he says as he pokes her nose. She's still in shock as he does, having not at all expected the hard slam that landed her here, then laughs at his nonchalant teasing. They both break into a fit of chuckling and giggling, before Marco lightly places her down on the branch with him. He grabs her by the hand, and before she can respond he says, "Come with me".

She follows along as he drags her to a nearby cave. He brings her into the cave and she notices immediately that he's been using this cave for shelter. She takes note of an area dugout for fires outside the entrance, and a large animal skin set up slightly further inside on top of a dried grass sleeping area.

"Welcome to casa de Marco", he says with a grin as she takes it all in, "or at least it's one of them. There's a few other caves I camp out in, in different areas of the forest". Hekapoo couldn't deny it to herself, she was impressed. 'Hard to believe this is the same lazy kid I took scissors from for misuse only slightly over a year ago.', she thinks pleasantly surprised by his progress. "Sit. Sit.", he says as he points to a rock pushed against one side of the cave to make a chair of sorts with back support. "So you're not gonna believe this, but in one of the nearby fields to this forest, I found corn!", Marco exclaims incredulously, "Crazy right?"

"Actually" Hekapoo corrects him teasingly, "corn is found on many, if not most, planes of the multiverse". She snickers as his excited face at feeling like he'd discovered something amazing drops to a bit of a disappointed one. Then his face lights up again as he remembers why he brought it up in the first place.

"Well that's all well and good, but the reason I mentioned it is the same reason I brought you here", Marco replies matter of family, before he delves deeper into the cave. "Wait up there, I'll be right back", he calls up to her as he rumages around the low light. He finds what he was looking for wrapped up in skins, and starts to head back up to her. He unwraps one of the tightly wrapped skins to reveal a few skinned and prepped rabbit sized critters to his guest. "I prepped these babies earlier this morning and stored them in the cave for tonight", he says proudly as Hekapoo just gives him a look of mild amusement. He sets the other wrapped package down without showing her what's inside, piquing her curiousity about just what he had planned.

"Don't get me wrong meathead, I'm impressed, but what does this have to do with corn again?", she asks with a grin that shows off one of her upper fangs. She gets an answer amounting to roughly "you'll see", as Marco works on getting a fire going in the pit outside.

Using some corn cobs as tinder, he gets a small fire burning and over time increases the temp. Marco rotisseries the rabbit over the open flame while him and Hekapoo talk for quite a while. As the rabbit is finishing up, Marco unwraps the second skin and pulls out some corn tortillas, much to the confusion of his guest. "Are those tortillas? Where'd you get those?", she asks him.

"Well, I told you about the wild corn already. Then it was just a process of grinding the kernels to meal, then using some of the more acidic berries around here to make masa harina", he explains as he puts some corn oil in a makeshift stone and clay pan, "after that I just made it into tortillas from some stream water, using a large skinned stick as a rolling pin and cooking them in this bad boy", he says as he waves his hand over the makeshift pan. "It didn't always work out well, and it took me several different tries to find berries that would work to make the tortillas as close to authentic as possible", he says as he rips the tortillas into roughly chip shaped pieces, and begins to fry them in the oil. "Eventually it just worked", he says looking up to her with a smile.

She was stunned silent for a moment, then replied with, "You must miss home alot huh? I mean, you went through all this trouble just for a little comfort food?"

Marco thought on that for a moment as he was shredding the meat off the critters bones onto a stone platter covered in the warm corn chips. He picks some bright orange berries off a bush outside his little home and crushes them up in a little wooden bowl with a rather clean looking stick. He covers the dish in the chunky sauce and looks at Hekapoo, "Dig in", he says with a proud smile on his face.

Hekapoo takes a nacho from the plate and eats it. Much to her surprise it tastes amazing. The meat has a smoky and rich umami flavor, plus it's some of the tenderest meat she's ever eaten. The chips give the dish a nice crunch, and the homemade salsa like sauce sprinkled over top has a tangy, sweet, and a very pleasant heat flavor to it. "This is amazing!", she exclaims to a proud Marco, as they both chow down. After a moment of eating in pleasant silence, Hekapoo speaks up again, "So you didn't answer me before. You did all this just to capture a little bit of comfort from home?"

Marco laughs a bit at this but quickly realizes by the look on her face that she doesn't get it, so he explains, "If you think this is amazing you should drop by Earth some time when this is all over. This is nothing compared to what I can do with the ingredients I have at home.", he humble brags. Then after another moment of silence Marco gives her an awkward look then answers, "Truthfully I did this for you. I used to make Star nachos all the time at home, and it was great. I love the way my food can make people smile", he continues genuinely, "and since you're gonna be the majority of my company for a while I presume, I figured why not make the best right? It's not like we're enemies, so we might as well be friends yea?", he asks with a sincere look in his eyes.

Hekapoo's heart fluttered a bit at the beauty of her new friend's character. She smirked with her crooked grin and answered in her patented Hekapoo tease answered, "Whatever you say fleshie."

 **Flashback end**

Marco finished up his sit-ups and squats while many of his best memories and worst memories battled inside his head. He didn't know what to expect, but he hoped that thinking about the good times would help quell at least some of his demons. It didn't really work though: now the thoughts of all the violence and bloodshed were simply occupying the same head space as all the best times he's had out here. Thoughts of severed heads with lifeless eyes, bleeding profusely onto coarse, blackened gravel. Thoughts of all the lives he ended, some being of those not even really old enough to be considered adult, contrasted with the affection and bond he'd formed in isolation with who he considered to be deep down an amazing person. His confusion was helped none, so he just picks a random portal and throws himself through it. 'Maybe I should just get to work', he thinks and he hopes it'll help quiet his mind.

 ** _So hopefully him making nachos wasn't jumping the shark for you guys. I just figured since cooking is such a big part of his character, and since Marco is a pretty bright guy, he'd figure out some way to make a yummy meal._**


	8. chapter 8

**_Okay so real talk: this has been one of the hardest chapters for me to write. I don't want to poison the well, so I'll have my reasoning at the end if anyone wants to know why, instead of coloring your perception of it too much up here. On to the best part of all this now: the reviews!_**

 ** _Beasty12321: The flashbacks were a nice change of pace and finished the little arc that was Patrick._**

 ** _Glad you thought so, but honestly I'm just more glad that I wrote them. I think Reaper was right about a lot of the story seeming a bit unrealistic without them._**

 ** _SolidReaperJj: See this is what I was talking about, this fills in all the voids you left in before. Now I can move on lol._**

 ** _The more we poke at each others stories, the stronger they will be. Plus my ocd was getting to meon the last chapter._**

 ** _Now we have a little more solid ground on how he feels about Hekapoo, that little date night was cute. You did a great job and now I feel so special lol._**

 ** _Hey thanks a lot for the recommendation of writing it, yanno? I never really thought about how inconsistent it seemed before with his attitude, since I knew his motivations from the get go. Without that chapter, those little inconsistencies could've really devalued the quality I'm trying my damnedest to build in this story, so you should feel special bud! ;P_**

 ** _The Book of Eli: And the teasing continues as Marco sets out to warm Hekapoo to him more. Still got to say I like all the call backs to the episode Running with Scissors. Plus I'm pretty sure Hekapoo misses messing with Marco..._**

 ** _Oh those years of Marco being caged up were extremely boring for Hekapoo, I promise. I do like to think she genuinely loves and enjoys interaction with him, so trust me there will be more teasing and banter as we move forward. Also, I'm glad my hard work isn't going unnoticed: I've been trying to build continuity with canon into this story as often as I possibly can, and sometimes it really can be a bit constraining. But that's part of what I like about writing this fanfic, yanno? It's like, a challenge to take these already established characters in an already established universe, and write them in such a way that they remain true to themselves yet also true to my own expression in the narrative._**

 ** _Tonyfalcon: So far this fiction has been my favorite and I hope in the future this story gets more "juicy" in upcoming chapters. ;)_**

 ** _First off, love your name: I don't know if the Tony Hawk pun in it is intentional or not, but it makes me smile so I love it. Secondly, It's crazy you can say this fic has been your favorite, because it's my first one and I never thought it'd ever really get more attention than like one dissinterested person, but wow am I honored you feel that way. Also, this story has far from reached peak juiciness yet, so hopefully you'll stay along for the ride as big things will be coming. ;)_**

 ** _Lachatnoire: Great story so far! Unfortunately I can't continue past chapter 3 because chapter 4 seems to be chapter 6... I'm on the fanfiction app so maybe that's the issue? If not, please fix! This is great for a first time fic and I'm dying to read more!_**

 ** _Thanks for such kind praise about my first awful little fanfic! Hopefully I fixed it before you died completely! XP_**

 **Chapter 8: The Exploding Plains of Flendor**

Marco's feet skid along the bright blue grass below them, as he abruptly tries to stop his forward momentum. The portal he threw himself through seemed to be situated peculiarly close to a cliff, and he just manages to stop himself from flying off the edge. As he looks down into the chasm below, he notices that there is no discernible end in sight. Gulping hard, he slowly backs away from the steep drop, after having been filled with a strong sense of vertigo.

He falls flat on his back and takes some time to let the tension leave his body. As Marco is staring in the sky, he notices something quite peculiar: Dragons sail through it like ships, on a never ending ocean dotted with islands that seem to take the place of clouds. The sky here is a breathtaking sight in itself: it appears to be only midday, yet the firey oranges and hot pinks typically reserved for sunsets explode into the eyes of anyone lucky enough to see it. Marco grips the silky soft grass he's laying on in awe. It was one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever seen.

After taking some time to enjoy the simple beauty of this place, and breathe in its crisp, refreshing air, Marco picks himself up and looks around the rolling plains he's standing on. It appears to be one of the larger sky islands, probably five miles in length, with a strange neon green lake about a mile away from where he now stands. Deciding it would be best to check out the lake, Marco begins a trek en route to it. After about an hour and a half, he arrives at the lake.

Immediately Marco notices that the strange green fluid appears to be bubbling and fizzing. 'I'm not sure I can even drink that', he thinks to himself frustratedly, 'How am I going to find any Hekapoo here if I can't even spend more than a couple days here without dying of dehydration?' He eyes the strange substance once more and wearily decides, 'Well, I've lived an interesting life right? Far more dangerous and awesome then I ever imagined it would be: might as well just try the stuff: You only live once.' He dips his face in and takes a sip, surprised by what he finds, he takes another. "It's just sparkling water", he says aloud in confirmation to himself. 'And I thought these places couldn't get any stranger...', he begins to let his mind drift away from the problems at hand then looks around and realises one more huge problem he'd have to overcome. "Now how am I supposed to go anywhere out here!?", he shouts out in exasperation. As if to show things could always get worse, the ground beneath his feet shook in reply.

Hekapoo had noticed Marco enter the dimension from a few landmasses away, and was quickly approaching his position. She jumps from one rolling plain to another on her dragoncycle, hoping she's not too late. As she looks off to her left, she notices him very confused and looking at the shaking island beneath his feet. A sharp turn and a jump off the edge, and she's soaring through the sky in his direction: her dragons wings stretch out catching the air, giving a few flaps to help them get high enough to glide the distance. Within seconds she lands on the shaking ground and dismounts her companion as an awestruck Marco stares. "That was so coo...", he begins before she cuts him off. "We need to go. Now!", she says authoritatively, causing Marco to try and say something else in response. Before he can get the words out; however, he's smacked in the back of the head just hard enough for him to lose balance and go plummeting off the edge. "AHHHHH!", he screams as he stares down into an unending drop below him.

 _(Music if you like: Deja Vu by Dave Rodgers)_

Marco's heart races at speeds he didn't know possible, and his breathing turns to hyperventilation. Within seconds of looking into what it would mean to fall forever, Marco passes out. Hekapoo, after chastising herself for being so stupid, throws herself off the edge after him. She tucks her arms and legs in tightly, and angles herself as directly as she can to eliminate as much drag as possible, then reaches out when he seems close enough. After missing her grip the first few tries, she eventually catches him by the arm and let's out a high pitched whistle. Her dragon arrives at her side at record speed, and within only seconds the entire crises is solved. 'Oh shit, that's right', Hekapoo thinks as she remembers why she knocked him off in the first place.

Her dragoncycle's wheels impact with the ground of the nearest island but they are by no means safe. Without stopping, they speed to the edge of this island and jump for the next one as the original landmass they were on explodes in a cacophony of noise and silver light. A chain reaction occurs as island after island pop behind them. Looking far ahead Hekapoo sees an island much like the others inhabiting the sky, except the grass on this one is a dull grey color, and it's soil is a darker grey color as opposed to the rich brown color every other one has. She looks back to see that the exploding island chain is gaining on them, and knows that her dragoncycle can't carry them both over to safety, so she commits to the ultimate sacrifice: as they approach the end of the plains they'd landed on only seconds ago, Hekapoo jumps off towards the one in the distance and then jumps off her companion in midair.

The dragoncycle continues to carry Marco's limp body onward as Hekapoo falls swiftly through the never ending sky. "Whelp, that was pretty badass if I do say so myself", she comments aloud, for only herself to hear. Then she smirks as the explosion chain loudly approaches and hits the island right above her. BOOM! Her flame is instantly put out by the shock wave and the last thing she sees as she departs from this world is her majestic companion landing on the lifeless land far out of the reach of the chain reaction.

 **A few hours later**

Marco comes to screaming, the last thing he remembers being falling into what seemed like an infinite void. He turns onto his other side to see he's woke his saviour, a large dragoncycle, up and freaks out about it as well. And finally Marco looks up to see an annoyed looking Hekapoo tapping her foot impatiently at him, making him scream even louder in shock. Not taking to kindly to being shouted about as if she was the scariest thing he'd ever seen, Hekapoo kicks Marco hard in the side. "You're safe now idiot, so you don't have to wake up screaming all cowardly at me like I'm some hideous beast", she says with a huff. Marco coughs and sputters as his screaming lungs are silenced and replaced by a screaming feeling of emptiness inside them as her kick winds him. After a few moments of catching his breath and getting his bearings, Marco looks up to his noble, self-sacrificing saviour in anger. "OW!?", he says as he rubs the back of his head, feeling that the hair back there was scorched against his skin.

"Ow? Really hot stuff? I save you and that's the first thing you say to me?", she asks in faux indignation, "And to think I actually threw myself off a cliff for you. Shoulda just let you fall", she finishes with her tongue out.

Slightly annoyed that she's teasing him right after a near death experience, Marco fires back, "Yes ow! You wouldn't have had to save me if you hadn't have smacked me in the back of the head in the first place...and while we're on the subject would you stop with that!? I'm gonna get a bald spot if you keep burning my hair like that!"

"Hey, you need a haircut anyways Shaggy", she replies, sticking her tongue back out at him and blowing an agitated raspberry at him.

He eyes her up and down, waiting for some explanation as to why she did what she did. Instead of wasting her breath trying to explain herself; however, Hekapoo figures seeing for himself would be best, so she searches along the skyline for any trembling islands. As soon as she spots one, she interrupts an agitated Marco who was about start chastising her again, and turns his head to see an incredible sight.

Marco stares at the trembling Ilse far off into the distance curiously, and is blown away as it explodes in a flash of bright silver light. Within seconds all of the islands within about a ten mile radius of it had also been reduced to floating rubble by multiple brilliant chain reactions occurring all at once. "Woah", was all he could even think to say in response. "What was that?", he asks with a genuine sense of wonder shining in his eyes.

"Welcome to the Exploding Plains of Flendor, bud", she deadpans as if the amazing display before them was nothing to write home about. Marco's thoughts remain captivated with the incredible sight he'd just seen for a few minutes before a panic creeps within him. He begins to look around him for the nearest island he could jump to in case this one explodes, only to see that the closest one would be a thirty yard jump up and away from his current position. Dread pools in his stomach as he realises he's a sitting duck here, and it doesn't go unnoticed by Hekapoo. She touches him on the shoulder and he jumps defensively at the contact: the gears working behind his eyes were the primal gears within all humans that were hardwired to survive, and she could see that they were hard at work because her test had activated them within him.

"Marco", she calls out in a voice more soothing than even she thought she could make, "it's okay, okay?", she asks her frightened friend. Almost immediately, her soothing voice puts Marco at ease. His gaze softens and he nods, though it's clear he's still a bit shaken inside. "Look", she says as she plucks some of the ashen colored grass from beneath their feet and shows it to him, "This island is inactive Marco. It's why all the plants here look like they've been burnt to ash", she explains. Marco takes in the scene around her and realizes that what she's saying is true. All the grass that grows here is patchy and sparse, with dry grey earth showing bare in many places. A few trees are scattered throughout the landmass, but they have no leaves and are a similar ashen color to the grass: they reach up to the colorful heavens around them in a twisted and gnarled growth, providing a stark juxtaposition to the bright vibrancy that exists everywhere else around them.

"But...how?", Marco asks, bewildered by the surreal scene around him. "How are we even standing on this thing", he ponders aloud, "Surely it isn't big enough for the gravity to keep us attached?"

Hekapoo remained silent, for she'd never had the patience to listen to Omnitraxus Prime's ramblings about the variations of physical laws in different dimensions of space time, so truthfully she had no answer that would satisfy her curious companion. She simply walked to a nearby tree and sat up against its large trunk: she enjoyed the partial shade it provided her, and patted a spot next to her for Marco to join her. He walked up next to her and sat down, resting his back against the tree to. He looked to the fiery haired woman next to him and felt shaken. To look upon her was to look upon the chaos of the multiverse, he'd come to realize, and his mortal mind couldn't handle the myriad of shifting forms and ideas it dredged up from his depths: it played into his fear that everything was ejected into a cold, dark void from the center, screaming and with no purpose to it all. But then such awful thoughts ceased as he felt her lay her head on his shoulder softly.

They sat and enjoyed each others company for quite some time before Marco's anxieties began to creep back through him. His conscientiousness was screaming at him to get back to work, and he wasn't going to deny it's request, so he asks Hekapoo, "So how am I supposed to get around without a friend like yours?" They look at her dragoncycle and see it watching the various islands, curiously like a cat, as if it could see things in them that were invisible to their own senses. Not wanting the simple pleasure of a peaceful respite in her normally all too chaotic existence to end, she considers not answering him before ultimately deciding that she must.

"Well", she begins with a smirk, "who said you wouldn't be getting your own little friend?" Marco's eyes go wide and his mind starts racing about all the possibilities.

"How? When? Now?", Marco fires off questions, tripping over his words as he can hardly contain his excitement. Hekapoo can't help but smile at the big dumb grin on his face. It reminds her that no matter how much he's been changed by the game, he's still got the same heart he's always had. She climbs onto her dragoncycle and pats the seat behind her. Marco climbs on eagerly and holds on to the seat, before Hekapoo takes his hands and wraps them around her waist.

Marco blushes a bit, causing Hekapoo to laugh her impish laugh and tease him. "What's the matter big boy, you scared of a five foot nothing woman like me?", she says with a sultry smile. He shakes his head no and she responds with, "Good. Just hold on tight and if I feel you poking into my back I might just throw you off...of course I might not", she finishes with a wink. Before a flustered Marco can respond, Hekapoo gets her scaled friend going and off they go, speeding off the edge and flying to a nearby island.

 **Many hours later**

Marco yawns and says to Hekapoo, "Hey are we gonna be there soon? I'm pretty tired.."

"It's funny you mention that", she replies as they near another dull grey island, "because we're gonna make camp up ahead for the night", she says as she points to the nearby safe land. Marco follows her finger to the floating mass ahead and he's not sure if he's just tired or if she's nuts, because it looks to him like its covered in nesting dragons. He blinks some sleep out of his eyes and looks again to see that he, in fact, is not dreaming. Before he can protest they jump from their current location to the dead plains ahead. They slow to a stop nearby a varied group of dragons who are sleeping all nestled in with each other.

"Hpoo", Marco snaps in a hushed tone, "are you bonkers!?" She smacks him in the back of the head for using the nickname she hates so much and he has to bite down on his arm to keep from yelling out. After a moment spent composing himself he whispers, "Owwww! Why are we here, do you want me to get eaten alive?", he asks and shuts his mouth quite quickly afterwards when a nearby white dragon stirs.

"Look", Hekapoo begins in a hushed tone, "you can't get around here without a mount, so if we're going to continue our little game, I have to help you get yourself one. It's pretty easy relatively speaking", she continues, "all you gotta do is pick a dragon and sleep with it."

Marco gulps and is quite unsure of how to respond to this new revelation. "You mean like...", he slips one finger in and out of a hole he makes with two others on his other hand, earning himself another hard slap to his poor, gorwing bald spot. Hekapoo scolds his immaturity in such a crucial situation, but is internally laughing hysterically at the notion. They sit in silence for a moment while she musters every bit of self control she has in an effort to not bust out laughing.

"No, stupid, I don't mean for you to rape the beast", she says incredulously, "but simply to sleep, as they do, with one", she says as she points over to the large weyr of dragons. Marco looks over to the sleeping beasts then back to his companion, confusion and sleepiness very obviously present on his face. She looks back at him and says, "This place is very unstable: islands explode constantly, with little warning to when, so these dead ones are perfect nesting places. They're safe, and provide a great peace to these intelligent creatures", she explains, "the weyr is also a great burden lifter for our scaly friends over there. They nest so close to one another because they must trust and care for one another to exist in such a hectic world. So you're going to have to sleep among them, and hope that when they wake, one of them will see something in you that compels them to protect you from the rest...then you'll be one with your dragon", she finishes with a bit of flair.

The idea didn't sit well with Marco, but this whole dimension was starting to wear on him. Everything floating in a great sky except for them, somehow they manage to stay grounded on chunks of rock that could explode under their feet at any second, and the only way to really reconcile such issues is to travel on the backs of winged beasts who could destroy them at any moment: it just didn't sit right inside him. He loved his freedom, and the chaos it could bring, but at the end of the day he's still human. He still has some affinity to order, and a world that makes sense, so instead of continuing to argue, he steps carefully into a place amongst the dragons, and lays down for some sleep.

 ** _Okay so in continuing the real talk from before: I think I should give some explanation to why the chapter I consider to be the weakest in the story was also the chapter that took the longest time and most effort to produce. Put simply: I've got alot of life stuff going on. I'm only a young man, so I won't take you all the way back through my short life, into my childhood to give you a sob story far beyond what you would have the sympathy to spare for a total stranger online, but I do feel the need to be honest with you guys about this much. This story is partially in existence because I have a very hard time sticking to anything, so normally I just float from interest to interest aimlessly. It's not as if I have no passion for life, as I delve into these interests very deeply very quickly, I just feel all motivation to continue doing much of anything leave me after a week or a few of doing them. Alas it's not all doom and gloom friends! I'm on the fast track to putting my life back together and carving an ordered world from the dragon of chaos we call life, and this little endevour is just one baby step in the process of running dead on at my problems._**

 ** _Truthfully, I'd like to take this opprotunity to thank every single one of you who reads my trash: It means the world to me goys._** ** _Either way, the next chapters are looking up to be much more interesting than this one, so stay tuned everybody!_**

 ** _Also, sorry for anyone who likes the music: I really did'nt have any scenes in this boring chapter that I thought could use music, but I might retroactively add it to the unpublished document and leave this bit in anyways cuz lulz._**


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